KIDDERMINSTER PLAYHOUSE
1946 - 1968 A Souvenir

History

Contents

AMATEUR ONLY 1954-1955

This was the year of the great change. Repertory continued for the season but at the end the headlines were crying "Playhouse Bows to the Inevitable". The professionals were paid off; the Playhouse became virtually an amateurs-only theatre.

Robert Gaston's company included newcomers Mary Laine, Titus Oates and Veronica Meehan, whose first appearance had been in the pantomime as Cinderella, home-produced with Marigold Sharman as principal boy.
The final repertory plays were The Gay Dog; the seven year itch; The Only Way; Murder Mistaken; Winterset; The Little Hut; Birthday Honours; The Best Things in Life; Dial M for Murder; Affairs of State; The Archers; Wishing Well; The Moon is Blue; Hobson's Choice; Escapade; Down Came a Blackbird; The Happiest Days of Your Life; A Guest in the House; Dear Charles; and a premiere, Cornelia. The company's stage director was William Gaskill, later a controversial figure in the West End.

The Nonentities opened their season with Miss Mabel, starring Winifred Batt. Anastasia was another success for Josephine Jarrett in the title role and Olive Billam as the Dowager Empress. A revival of the musical play The King Who Couldn't Laugh was followed by Distinguished Gathering, which introduced Brian Hill. An unusual musical without a chorus, Ballet-Who ?, was presented with the co-operation of the repertory company and the season ended with The Admirable Crichton.

Both operatic companies had a vintage season, Carpet Trades with Me and My Girl and the KAOS with Oklahoma! The Kidderminster society also put on a play, Bats in the Belfry.

Touring companies played Not So Dusty; Pardon My Claws; Richard II; and Romeo and Juliet. The Northern Children's Theatre was here again.

Finance

The figures were not startlingly bad. The Nonentities made £793, the Playhouse lost £2,654 and the debt increased only by £392 to £7,717. The surcharge had helped but the general decline in business, experienced all over the country, made it clear that the theatre could not continue professionally without outside help. The Arts Council would not assist weekly repertory but made a gift of £500 "in view of your brave efforts to establish professional repertory at Kidderminster".

But, meanwhile, the blow had fallen. The Town Council, which a year before had decided to pay the £500 grant in quarterly instalments, now ceased payment after the first quarter. This was obviously the last straw and the decks had to be cleared for action. Michael Hulme and Dorothy Findon gave up their posts and Robert Gaston, producer for the past six years, now became manager.